Kill Me Instead
by queenOhearts
Summary: Kevin discovers that Edd hasn't quite grown out of his childhood phobias. Without something to ground him, Edd's conditions worsen and Kevin fully enjoys taking advantage of it. Rated M for darkish themes and adult situations. KevEdd
1. Chapter 1

**4-14-2017: Hi readers. I revised the first six chapters and I wanted to let you know that I will be back on weekly updates starting next week. It's been one hell of a year and I'm still dealing with complications so hopefully soon I'll get everything cleared up and start writing more.**

AN: Hello everyone and thank you for tuning in. This is my first KevEdd so please be kind. Also, this story is greatly inspired by the manga Ten Count. If you like yaoi then I highly recommend it, but you don't need to read it in order to read this story. It will be a bit dark since Kevin will be exploiting Edd's phobias so if you don't like that kind of stuff then consider this a warning. Other than that, I really hope you enjoy. If you follow my Glee fics, I plan on picking them back up now that I finally got a new computer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ed, Edd, and Eddy or it's characters and I do not make any profit from this story.

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

The slow, maddening, tick-tock of the standard issue school clock was driving Kevin Barr ever closer to insanity. The classroom was eerily silent as the dead eyes of the students stared at the red plastic bar of the second-hand rotate, drawing them closer to the end of the school day. As for Kevin, the day had been particularly boring and he could not wait for the damn clock to strike three.

He couldn't quite place it, but for some reason the boy felt strangely unsatisfied. Images started to fill his head as he thought back on the past seven hours of school. That morning he had managed to leave early enough to pick up a coffee and a quick breakfast. No problem there. His morning classes hadn't put him to sleep and he actually felt confident after taking a surprise calc quiz. Again, no problems. Lunch with the rest of the football team was unchanging, even getting the chance to chat up Nazz without a blunder. Then afterwards in PE he had finally managed to land a backward tuck. So why for the life of him did Kevin feel lost?

The boy chanced a quick look around the room, hoping to find the source of his distress. Nazz sat in the back next to an open window as she painted her nails. Johnny was scribbling on a worksheet while he silently giggled into Plank's ear(?). Strange, but not out of the ordinary. Rolf lounged in his own seat, plucking lint from his yellow shirt. And Eddy-

Wait, where was Eddy? And the lumpy dork was missing as well. Maybe they were ditching. Kevin tried to remember if he saw them at all that day but he couldn't recall running into any of the Eds even once. Yeah, that was why his day had been so boring.

A loud ringing startled him out of his thoughts; the bell that he had been waiting for was finally sounding. By the time he managed to pull himself together and gather his belongings he was already the last to leave the classroom. _What a drag_ , he thought as he followed his peers out.

The boy couldn't draw himself from his thoughtless reverie as he traded and replaced books between his loker and backpack. The outer world ceased to exist to him until he heard the soft clicking of a lock beside him.

Kevin looked to his left, finding Double D at his own locker frantically twisting the dial. The other boy looked panicked, sweat rolling in heavy beads down his forehead and along trails on the back of his neck. His hands trembled as they struggled to input his locker combination. The whites of his eyes glistened in particular wetness and his breathing was shallow and rushed. Kevin momentarily wondered what was wrong with the Ed before realization hit him. Edd was at school and the other two dorks would never ditch without their third.

The redhead slammed his locker shut, leaning against it to loom over the smaller boy. Double D took a quick step backwards, bumping into a passing girl. He yelped and his eyes rolled back as he propelled himself forward, away from the girl and into Kevin's personal space. Taking a deep, shaking breath, Edd shut his eyes and took a smaller step away from Kevin.

"Hey, dork. Are you gonna pass out?" Kevin asked without the least bit of concern.

Edd finally opened his eyes to regard the redhead with apprehension. He drew in another deep breath before answering to his childhood bully. "I am perfectly all right, Kevin. However, I am in a rush and cannot assist you with whatever it is you may need from me. Please excuse my rudeness but I must go."

The small boy turned with a quickness but Kevin was much faster. The redhead's hand shot out, wrapping painfully tight around Edd's wrist.

"Wait a minute," Kevin started, but Edd had yanked himself free with more strength than Kevin had expected from him. Edd's eyes opened impossibly wider as he stared at where he was only moments before connected to Kevin. Once again he turned but the jock instantly saw the signs of a person preparing to run, taking advantage of that knowledge by launching himself forward and trapping Edd in between himself and his locker, placing his hands on either side of the smart boy's head to keep him in place.

"Kevin, please," his shrill voice rang in the nearly empty hall. "You have no idea how many germs are on these lockers and what kinds of pathogens can be exchanged between two people within such a proximity. Release me this instant, I beg you."

"I thought you were over that germ thing," Kevin commented, watching Edd try to draw into himself.

"Yes, well obviously you thought wrong. Now, please" Edd tried to push forward without touching the other boy. He had hoped that Kevin would move backward to avoid contact if he moved forward enough into the jock's space but the boy was unfazed. If anything, he seemed amused by Edd's actions as his eyebrow rose in intrigue and a smirk formed on his lips.

"I'll let you go when I'm ready. Just tell me where the other two dorkos are".

Wary eyes met Kevin's and he thought he wouldn't get an answer but Edd's saddened voice spoke out. "Eddy had to leave yesterday for family business. His grandfather passed away and he and his family are in Alaska mourning and sorting out his final affairs. He could be gone for a while. As for Ed, he and his family are away in Japan for at least a month. His parents are looking into a job transfer and they want to see if they can adapt to the area before they make a final decision on moving. Now, if that is all, I would very much like to go."

Kevin smirked and leaned forward. The trapped boy began to hyperventilate and Kevin swore he could hear Edd's quickened heartbeat in the quiet hallway. His smirk grew, finding the dork's reactions to be beyond entertaining. "So you're telling me that you're here all alone. Missing your boyfriends yet?"

Edd's beady eyes shut tightly. "Kevin, please," he pleaded and to his great pleasure an arm that kept him closed in dropped. No time was wasted as he slipped away from Kevin and ran, his footsteps ringing.

Green eyes followed the boy until he was out of sight. For reasons Kevin couldn't fathom, he was excited by Edd's panic, drawn into the power it granted to him in the face of the smaller boy's weakness. What that weakness was, Kevin had yet to find out but he was intent on exploring it in depth. Maybe the absence of the other two dorks was not a total loss.

That night Kevin sat up in bed, thinking back on Edd. He couldn't chase from his mind the image of the boy's sweat dripping into his shirt, or the feeling of his pulsing veins against his wrist, or the smell of his warm breath that had been released in large puffs against his own skin. But he enjoyed it, because at the root of it he knew that he had caused all of those reactions. Admittedly, it had been years since he had last bullied the other boy seriously, but that was largely because he had lost interest. Edd had outgrown the fear that came at Kevin's hand and Kevin had grown bored of trying to get a rise out of him. But something had suddenly changed. Even in his senior year of high school, after he thought he had moved past such childish things as bullying, he was excited by the prospect of tormenting Edd.

A quick glance at his alarm clock confirmed that it was well past ten o'clock. Another quick glance out of his window showed him that the lights of the house across the street were all out. Edd was already in bed.

Kevin pulled on a pair of pants before quickly and quietly leaving his home. The chill of the late fall air stung at his bare chest but the pain only excited him more as he ran to the silent house across the street. None too gently, he banged on Edd's front door but when he heard no movement come from within the house he did it again. Finally, muffled sounds reached him through the wood of the door and the doorknob tinkled.

Edd pulled the door open, rubbing at his eyes and tugging his shirt down. His beanie had been hastily pulled over his head as Kevin could, for the first time, see loose coils of black lockes sticking out around the hat's edges. On an impulse the redhead reached forward and yanked a curl hard. The smaller boy cried out, swinging around to slam the door shut but Kevin caught it before it could close and forced his way into the house.

"Sorry, dude. I was just playing around. C'mon, I just wanted to talk to you real quick," Kevin joked, looking around before taking in the boy. Edd had turned on a dim lamp before he had answered the door which shed enough light for Kevin to fully take in the boy before him. At first Kevin could not see anything wrong with Double D, but upon closer inspection he could see that the boy's skin was beet red. Another impulse hit him, his body moving closer and his hand reaching for Edd's arm. A pained gasp escaped the other boy as Kevind stroked the soft skin under his fingertips. It was not only red, but it felt raw and thin with fading streaks of raised flesh, as if the teen's skin had been vigorously scrubbed or scratched into that condition. Before the arm was snatched out of his grasp, Kevin saw that every inch of visible skin on the smaller body was in the same state.

"What the fuck did you do?" he seethed through his teeth.

Edd looked away from him. "Get out, Kevin."

Ignoring the demand, the jock stepped forward only to be shoved back. "Get out!" Edd screamed as he continued to shove until Kevin was on his front steps, effectively slamming the door in his face there after.

He stood outside of the house, listening to Double D's footsteps as he ran up the stairs and started the shower. Shock, disgust, and intrigue all flooded Kevin's emotions. At the same time that he wanted nothing to do with the smartest of the Eds, he wanted nothing more than to forcefully insert himself into the boy's life. However, he knew that whatever he was feeling, what was to come was surely going to be a lot of fun.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you for reading. I have absolutely no idea how long this story is going to be. I have an idea of where I want to take it but getting there will be a journey. However, I've noticed from a lot of KevEdd fics is that Kevin is usually really tame and I wanted to play on the possibility of him becoming worse of a bully as he discovers himself. Also, in fics Edd tends to seem mindful of germs but he doesn't express the same aversion to them as he did in the show so I wanted to play around with that too.

Reviews are always appreciated.

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Kevin followed Edd as closely as he could for the next two days until the very last bell of the school week sounded. They shared very few classes together considering Edd's schedule consisted of mostly AP classes, but Kevin was no slouch in math so he shared that class with the other boy along with an elective. As a result, he found it easy to watch Edd in class but following him outside and in the halls bordered on stalking.

It was during those two days that Kevin noticed several things about Double D that he had failed to notice in the years before, and he had a feeling that was because the dork had been doing a good job of hiding them. When Edd walked into a room, he would wait until someone came along to enter before him. Kevin realized it was because he refused to touch the doorknob. He would then grab sanitation wipes from his bag to wipe his desk and seat before he sat down. During the class period he would very actively take notes but he seemed to sit on the edge of his seat and fidget. He breathing was always shallow, his eyes wide as he glanced repeatedly from the teacher to the clock as if he couldn't wait for the class to end, which was ridiculously out of character for Edd.

Between classes, when Kevin could catch a glimpse of Double D, the boy was always off hiding in a corner, waiting for something before he moved through the crowd as quickly as possible. His shoulders were always drawn in and it was obvious he made an effort to avoid contact with other students. Even during lunch he avoided crowds all together. Kevin ditched the football team to stalk down the dork and eventually found him huddled in the library, eating his food silently by a back window before he ran off to the bathroom. By the end of that first day that Kevin followed him, Edd was green in the face and he sprinted home after their release.

The next day played out in much the same way except this time Edd had brought a box of sterile medical-grade latex gloves along with him. It seemed that every time he touched something that didn't exclusively come from his locker or backpack he would pull off the pair he was wearing, wash his hands in hand sanitizer, and then snap on a new pair. This new development did wonders for him since he was considerably healthier in color by the end of the day, but the nervous energy under his skin remained.

Edd had again run from the school before Kevin could corner him. He hadn't yet made a move on Double D, deciding it was better to bide his time in order to find what would get the best reaction out of the small boy. Even to himself, Kevin admitted that he was going a bit too far but he felt like he couldn't help himself. Something about Edd's panicked face made his blood pump faster and he liked the feeling.

That weekend Kevin made his move. With the other two Eds gone, Double D only left the house to go to school and Kevin doubted he would be allowed in the other's house again. So he pulled out his math homework, scribbled random answers next to each question, and left to fetch Edd. He only hoped that the boy would take the bait.

Kevin knocked gently on Edd's door, in contrast to the last time he had visited. The answer was immediate but hesitant, the door cracking open slightly as an eye peeked through, and then wide enough to fit Edd's head. "Greetings, Kevin. How can I help you?"

"Hey, Sockhead," Kevin lifted his hand to rub at the back of his own neck. "I'm sorry about last time, but I'm really having trouble with the calculus worksheet that's due Monday. I was hoping you could come over and help me."

Edd drew in a breath and paused. As Kevin had predicted, the dork wouldn't want to spend time alone with him but he was never one to turn on a person in need of academic assistance. He looked around before nodding his head. "That's perfectly fine, but I would prefer if you brought your work here. I'd be more comfortable in my own house, if that is alright with you, Kevin."

The redhead shrugged. He had really been hoping Edd would come to his house, but this was fine too. "Sure, I'll be right back. Should I bring anything else over?"

"No!" Double D jumped. His hand was outstretched as if he had intended to reach for Kevin's arm, but he had stopped short and quickly drew it back into himself. "No, just bring your worksheet if that is all you need assistance with. I should have anything else we may need here."

"Sure, dork," Kevin said, turning to run to his house. He returned to Edd's within a few minutes, the small teen waiting at his open door with a pair of slippers in hand.

"I'm sorry, but I must request that you leave your shoes in the entryway and wear these throughout the rest of the house," Edd mumbled, clearly embarrassed to ask the question but Kevin played along and replaced his sneakers with the crisp white slippers before following Edd into the kitchen.

"Please sit down at the table. Can I get you anything to drink?" his host asked, nonchalantly stretching a pair of latex gloves over his hands.

"Sure, water would be fine" Kevin answered. Double D turned and busied himself with getting the jock his drink while Kevin situated himself at the small, square dining room table. His green eyes watched Edd who seemed calm for the first time all week, but if his suspicions were correct then it was only because the boy was in his own house. Another confirmation of his suspicions came when Edd turned around and very noticeably hesitated before he sucked in a deep breath and continued on his way to the table.

Edd had already laid out pencils, books, papers, and his own calculus homework on the table so he jumped right into asking what Kevin needed help with. He came up with lame questions to which Edd knew the answers to, just trying to keep his tutor talking so he could examine him closely. The first thing that came to his attention was that Double D was trying to keep a fair amount of space between them. He leaned away from Kevin in his own chair and pointed things out with his pencil as opposed to coming in to explain a problem. He remained at ease with distance, but every time Kevin leaned in to look at something Edd's hands would shake as he struggled to keep his composure. Then, if he had to touch Kevin's worksheet, afterwards he would peel his gloves off, wash his hands in the sink, and replace the gloves with a new pair. When Edd had returned from washing his hands the sixth time, Kevin finally confronted him.

"Dude, are you still a germaphobe?" He asked, covering his smirking mouth with a hand.

Edd's eyes grew wide, the boy nearly jumping out of his seat at the question. Clearing his throat, he said "For your information, it is not germaphobia. The correct term is mysophobia and no, I am not still one. I've gotten over it but I seem to be having a tough week."

"Oh really. Is that why you've been sitting as far away from me as possible?"

A rosy flush spread across Edd's face which he tried to hide by looking down at his hands. "It would seem that I also suffer from acute haphephobia so I would greatly appreciate it if you would keep your distance."

Kevin's brows furrowed. "What the hell is haphephobia?"

Edd wouldn't look up. "It's the fear of physical contact with other people. So please, I would like to avoid it all costs?"

Another smirk twisted the edges of Kevin's mouth. "Sucks man. You're afraid of germs and people."

Double D's head and hands shot up to stop the redhead from continuing. "No, I'm not afraid of people. I'm just afraid touching them."

"That doesn't make sense. You've been touching people just fine for years. I've seen you do it" Kevin pushed but Edd didn't follow, slouching into his own chair.

"I had it as a little kid but it would appear that it's back" he stared into the open palms of his hands on his lap.

From across the small table Kevin stared intently at Edd, the solemn ring in the black-haired teen's voice stagnating the air. He picked up his glass of water, draining it until a few gulps remained. "So you can't do things like touch stuff you didn't clean, or share someone's drink, or kiss another person, right?" Kevin asked as he swirled the last of his water around in the cup.

Double D sighed. "You are correct. It is odd, as they are all things that I would very much like to do, but," he paused for a breath, "I just can't."

The corners of Kevin's lips pulled upwards. "Sure you can. C'mon and try to finish my water," he held the cup forward.

Edd's spine pushed against the back of his chair, his eyes narrowed at the outstretched cup. "No, thank you Kevin but these things take time."

The redhead's smile grew wider. "I bet you could do it if you really wanted to."

Kevin's excitement rose when he noticed the signs of Edd's burgeoning panic. The other boy's breathing pattern started to change and his forehead began to glow with the beginnings of sweat as his anxiety overwhelmed him. "Really, Kevin, I can't," he said, standing to remove himself from the situation.

Immediately, Kevin's smile fell, his once playful look now a glare directed at Double D. Without thinking twice, Kevin dropped his cup on the table, its remaining contents spilling. Not much of the water was left, but it spread enough to wet the edges of the items closest to the mess.

Edd screamed, rushing forward to pull objects away from the water. He had barely managed to shift even a pencil before Kevin was on him, pinning the small teen to the table underneath of his larger frame. Eyes grew larger and breathing labored, the trapped body shivering against the other. "K-Kevin, p-please" Edd sobbed. He wanted to push Kevin away but his body was frozen with fear.

A very serious face stared down at the distressed boy, watching as tears began to form in the corners of his brown eyes. "So even this much you can't do?" Kevin bent his head into the crook of Edd's neck. He listened to Double D's rattling breath

"Kevin" he pleaded.

"And then I guess this is a no-go too?" Kevin lifted his head again, only to lower it and firmly press his lips against Edd's. The shaking of the body underneath of him increased but he didn't pull away until he felt wetness on his cheeks. Their lips parted with a soft smack and Kevin revelled in the sight below him.

Edd's tears were flowing down his face in heavy drops, his bright blush spread from his temples to his chest, and his lips were colored a pale mauve. "Kevin, p-please, no more" he begged, breathless.

The boys crying voice, thick with dread, stirred Kevin up more. "If you hate it so much, then make me stop" the bully said before his lips descended onto the other's once more. This time he kissed Edd more forcefully, taking advantage of the frightened boy's gasp to slide his tongue into the open mouth. A wail broke from Edd's throat and in a moment of surprise for the both of them he bit Kevin's tongue hard before promptly fainting.

Kevin yanked his head away from the pain. He liked it, the taste of his own blood thick in his mouth. He wanted to ask Edd to do it again before he realized he wouldn't get the chance as the boy was out cold underneath of him. But he was satisfied enough as it was.

Tenderly, Kevin removed Edd from the table to lay him down on one of the plastic covered sofas in the living room. Then he returned to the kitchen, washed his hands, snapped on gloves and got to work on cleaning the mess he had made. He threw everything that was soiled into a plastic bag which he sealed tightly and tossed outside. Then he found the sanitizer wipes and lysol, thoroughly disinfecting every surface he had touched and ruined. Deciding there was nothing else he could do for Edd that the other would appreciate, he left the house and the unconscious boy behind.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Hello readers. I hope you're enjoying the story. If you're reading, or have read, Ten Count then you'll recognize a part of this chapter. I really liked a scene from earlier in the series and I just couldn't help putting something similar into my story. Also, I probably won't be able to post a new chapter tomorrow.

Feed me and review! Or not.

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Almost an entire week had passed since Kevin had kissed Edd and he couldn't blame the other for avoiding him. He refused to acknowledge him in class, even when Kevin approached him. Outside of class Edd took no shame in running away from him or hiding.

At first Kevin had found Double D's aversion to him amusing. He still enjoyed the power he had over the teen even days after their last encounter. With most people, Kevin had absolutely no problem with attracting attention. Desire drew girls to him and boys were drawn to his amiability and confidence; he had never had to work for a person's recognition which was why he found Edd to be so appealing. As preteens there had been about an equal amount of dislike shared between the two boys, but as they grew older and used to each other's antics, boredom set in and they drifted apart. Now, having to work for something that was so easily his before, Kevin was thrilled.

It took quite some effort on his part to keep himself at a distance from Edd. He couldn't wait until he could see his crying face again but he figured that it would be some time before Double D would allow him to get close enough to interact. However, he didn't stop himself from watching the beanie clad boy as it quickly became an obsession. In absolutely no way was he discreet in his attentions for Edd and it took no time at all for other people to notice.

Kevin wasn't oblivious; he knew what was being said behind his back. Students were calling him out as gay for the Double D, others calling him a puppy on the lookout for his master. Some of the more pessimistic students assumed that Kevin harbored a grudge for the other boy and that was why he watched him so attentively. Truth be told, Kevin didn't care about what anybody had to say about him, but he hated that Edd too was under so much scrutiny.

Edd for his part seemed to ignore the rumors, but it was impossible to tell since nowadays he didn't talk to anyone. He still avoided crowds and ran home but it was inevitable that something was bound to go amiss.

Friday afternoon, six days since he had spoken to Edd, Kevin noticed a group of seniors from the football team huddled around his and Double D's lockers. Naturally the dork was nowhere in sight so he wasn't too concerned when he approached them.

"Hey guys. Practice was cancelled today, so what are you doing still hanging around?" Kevin asked as he made his way through them. He wasn't getting any bad vibes from them but he knew how quickly things could escalate.

"We were just wondering if you wanted to chill. We're headed to the bowling alley," his co-captain of the football team, Jason, said.

Kevin didn't care much for bowling and he wanted to get home. "Thanks, but not this time. I kinda want to relax and play some video games."

Another boy from the team, Michael if Kevin remembered correctly, coughed behind him. "He's probably got plans to meet up with that sockhead dork."

"Yeah, man," another boy whose name Kevin couldn't place, "you've been rushing out after him every day recently. People have already started talking."

"I've heard," Kevin commented monotonously.

His co-captain spoke up again, this time leaning into Kevin as his tone turned dangerous. "You're the captain of the football team and anything that looks bad on you reflects onto the rest of us. We really don't have anything against gay people, but if you look weak then how are the rest of us supposed to look."

He knew it. Kevin looked at each boy individually, his threatening glare not lost on them. "I'm captain of the football team, the most popular guy in school, straight-A student, and I'm riding into college on an athletic scholarship. What in the world makes any of you think I give a single fuck about anything anyone in this school has to say about me?"

None of the boys replied. After being around Kevin for so long they knew what a strong character he had. He was confident in who he was and what he stood for which was what made him a great leader. They knew that no matter what odds were against him, he would still come out on top because he refused to finish as anything less.

From the corner of his eye, Kevin saw Edd standing at the end of the hallway. It was obvious that he had wanted to get to his locker but he couldn't move forward with the multitude of bodies surrounding it. Quick to change the subject, Jason removed himself from the group to approach the lone boy. "Hey, dork," he said, "we were kinda just talking about you. Come over here and join us."

Edd's small body shifted slightly backwards, a move unnoticeable to everyone except Kevin. "It's quite alright. I'll let you gentlemen finish up and I'll just be on my way."

Jason reached forward and clasped his hand around Double D's shoulder. "It's no biggie, we just wanna talk."

Instantaneously Edd reacted to the touch, his eyes rolling backwards as he stumbled away, struggling to stay on his feet. On the other hand, Kevin saw red the moment the co-captain of the football team placed his hand on Edd's shoulder. He ran forward and knocked his teammate to the ground as he threw a punch into his face. The loud crash the lockers made when Jason's body impacted with them made the rest of the team jump and rush forward only to stop when Kevin glowered at them. "No one touches the dork," he said menacingly, making the blood run cold in the other boys.

Jason barked a laugh from the floor, wiping blood from his split lip as he sat up. "Except you, right?" he smirked.

Kevin didn't understand what Jason found so funny. He crouched in front of the boy to look him straight in the eye when he gave his reply. "Yeah, that's exactly fucking right. So remember it and spread the word for me."

The redhead turned away from the silenced teen to check on Edd. Clearly he hadn't recovered from the shock of being touched. He swayed where he stood, arms stiff at his sides and green in the face, holding his breath as if he were about to vomit. Kevin rushed forward and knew Edd was about to pass out when the boy didn't try to run away from him. "You can either faint onto this nasty ass floor, where I'll pick you up and take you home, or you can let me pick you up and take you home now" he said, Edd's eyes widening.

The frightened boy shook his head with vigour, reaching for Kevin's arm with a trembling hand. That was all the jock needed for confirmation, grabbing the Ed with firm hands and lifting him into his arms. He picked up the boy's bag, passed the frozen football team membes for his own bag, and sprinted from the school. He ran all the way to the cul-de-sac with the shaking Ed in his arms.

Sweat covered every inch of Edd's flesh and the color had completely drained from his ivory skin. The reactions that Kevin so loved to draw from the boy were at that moment unamusing.

As gently as he could, Kevin placed the unsteady teen onto his feet in front of the boy's house where Edd scrambled to get his keys into the door. Once unlocked, he ran inside, kicked off his shoes, and bolted upstairs where Kevin heard the rush from the shower faucet. Still carrying Edd's bag, he walked into the house and closed the door behind him with a soft click. He removed his shoes, dropped both of their bags next to the door, and began to busy himself with cleaning everything he knew Edd would consider soiled.

After an hour, Double D finally emerged from the shower wrapped in his bleached and starched bath robe. Surprise overcame him at the sight of Kevin Barr still in his house, plastic glove covered hands each holding either sanitizing wipes or disinfecting spray. It was apparent that Kevin hadn't noticed Edd coming down the stairs as he continued to spray both of the boys' backpacks with Lysol. It was only when Edd cleared his throat that the jock finally looked at him.

Kevin's burgundy eyebrows furrowed when he saw that Edd's skin was once again bright red and raw. He now understood that the dork's skin was in that condition because he had scrubbed the living hell out of it. His scowl reached Edd's eye and the other shrank back.

"Sockhead…" he growled. For some reason the sight of Edd's splotchy red skin angered him. The rage was palpable, causing the other to draw into himself.

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you like this Kevin. Thank you for cleaning, and thank you for saving me back there. I really appreciate it" Double D said with as much gratitude as he could muster. He was still upset with Kevin for kissing him the last time they had met, but he couldn't ignore the fact that the jock had helped him out or the fact that he had now cleaned his house twice.

Kevin ignored his thanks as he continued to stare at Edd. For a minute it didn't seem like he was going to respond and when he finally did it wasn't what Double D had expected. "My mom," Kevin started,"uses this medicated lotion meant to heal sensitive skin. She gets it straight from the pharmacy at the hospital where your parents work. If I can get you an unopened bottle, will you use it?"

Edd's eyebrows rose. "Yes, of course but I can just have my parents get it if you tell me the name."

"No, I'll get it for you" Kevin's voice was stern and Edd understood it to be the end of that subject.

In no way was Edd ignorant of what had been happening; he knew that the teen standing in front of him had been gravitating towards him more often as of late. As interesting as Edd found it, he was very confused by Kevin's actions. At times the redhead was kind and almost concerned for him, but at other times he was cynical and bordering on cruel. There was a complexity to his character that the smart boy couldn't help but find intrigueing, hating his disability even more for preventing him from investigating his odd attraction.

"Edd, come here."

Double D's eyebrows met his hairline. There was no way Kevin really thought he would reduce the distance between them but the look on his face was unyielding. Unsure of himself, he made his way across the threshold on wobbling legs until he stood about two feet away from his childhood bully.

"Closer, dork."

Edd sucked in a sharp breath. "Kevin, I don't think-"

"Now!"

Not wishing to anger the taller boy even more, Edd stepped into the redhead's personal space, effectively allowing the other to intrude on his own as well.

Satisfied, Kevin bent at the knees to dig through Double D's backpack with his still gloved hands. When his hand retreated, the small bottle of hand sanitizer Edd carried with him was clasped within it. "You're going to need this," he said as he placed it into the small boys hands. "Also, don't you dare move until I'm finished."

Edd didn't have the opportunity to ask why Kevin had made such an odd request. Red hair passed before his eyes and he felt warm lips wrap around the pulse point on his neck. The muscles in his body tightened until frozen, his air flow stopping in his throat. Kevin sucked hard at his skin for what felt like a neverending eternity to Edd. Then, when he thought it couldn't get any worse, he felt the slide of Kevin's hot tongue against his skin, causing not-entirely unpleasant shivers to run down his spine. When the lips drew away from his skin, Edd wanted to cry. He wanted to cry because he was absolutely disgusted.

And he wanted to cry because he wanted more of the contact.

"You can wipe that down and rub some of that sanitizer into your neck. But don't you fucking dare try to scrub that out."

Edd's fat tears rolled down his cheeks. Kevin thought they shined like crystals and went to grab one with his gloved fingers. Then, deciding he was finished, he picked up his bag and left Edd's house, the small boy still rooted to the spot where Kevin had left him, a purple hickey throbbing in time with his heart beat.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I don't normally write author's notes before every chapter but this is my favorite fanfic of the one's I've written and I really enjoy talking about it. So until someone tells me that the ANs are annoying, I'm going to keep writing them. Anyways, I'm really liking how Kevin is developing. I always thought that as he grew he would be very confident and cocky, but there would be a maturity to him that made his other personality traits attractive in an alpha male kind of way so that plays into his character here. Also, I don't know if there was any backstory for the kids on the show so I'm making a bit of my own.

Enjoy and review!

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

It had barely taken twenty-four hours for the word to spread about Kevin and Double D. Granted, no one knew exactly what the word was, but it had spread nonetheless. The football team had blasted all over social media that something was definitely going on between the two boys and that Kevin wasn't going to stand for anyone going after Edd. Of course both of the boys had been receiving notifications of emails or posts mentioning them but neither cared to be bothered so they were ignored.

Being the smart one, Edd assumed that the notifications were from people who had heard about what happened Friday after school. Since he didn't quite understand what was happening himself, he avoided acknowledging them. On the other hand, Kevin thought that it was the football team blowing up his phone and he didn't care about what they had to say. That was why he was surprised when he woke up to the sound of Nazz banging down his front door.

"Kevin!" she accosted him the moment he let her inside of the house. "Why haven't you responded to my emails or texts? I see all over facebook and twitter that you've got, like, something going on with Double D and I instantly think you're bullying him. But then I got a very expensive call from Sarah in Japan, who heard from Jimmy, who heard from Lisa, who heard from her boyfriend on the varsity football team that Edd looked like he was gonna pass out and you carried him home. What the fuck is going on dude?"

"Yeah, good morning to you too Nazz," Kevin yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He beckoned her towards the kitchen where he got to work making coffee, intently ignoring the hole he felt being stared into his back.

When he was ready, Kevin finally faced his long time friend, two cups of java in hand to prepare himself for the onslaught of questions he knew was coming. "Okay, start again. Ask me your first question" he told her.

"Kevin," she huffed, "is there anything going on between you and Edd?"

"You know, he and I were friends before. It wouldn't be weird if there was something."

A scowled overcame the girl's pretty features. "Man, that's bullshit. You weren't friends. You were friendly at times but that doesn't make you friends. You were his bully and if you're doing the same thing to him, especially now that we're in our senior year of high school, then Kevin you haven't grown at all."

The redhead took a large gulp of coffee, the hot liquid burning the roof of his mouth all of the way down his throat. Naturally she was right about his and the other boy's relationship, but he wasn't about to admit that. "I thought I was bullying him, but I don't really know what I'm doing anymore," he replied, and he was completely honest in his response. At first he really wanted to torment the Ed because he thought enjoyed the power it gave him, but it didn't take him long to realize that it wasn't the power that excited him.

Edd, in all of his flaws, attracted Kevin magnetically. When the bully thought he had the smaller boy in the palm of his hand, reality had turned the tables and it was Double D with the power. In no time had it taken Kevin to understand that the torn look of fear and desire that would cross Edd's face, his trembling red flesh, his large, heavy tears, and his overall fragility were all things Kevin wanted to protect.

"Hey, dude, please be careful," Nazz reached across the table for his hand. "You know, Eddy, Ed, Sarah, and I have always lived here. You came after Double D had already moved in so you don't know what he was like when he was a kid. He was very skittish, and he didn't leave the house or communicate with anyone. Hell, we didn't even know there was a new kid on the block for months until we caught a glimpse of him pass by his front window. I don't know what happened, but Eddy and Ed forced themselves onto him in some way and eventually he started to open up. He was still weird, you know, with the germ thing, but with Ed and Eddy he seemed more like a normal kid. There used to be a really sad look in his eyes. I'd hate for that to come back."

Kevin didn't know any of this. At the age of nine he was the last kid to move into the cul-de-sac. By then the Edd he knew was already there. There had been no indication that at some point in time before he had come along that Double D was broken. The boy was odd, that was always obvious, but Kevin had just supposed that it was natural for a genius like him to have his eccentricities. It had never occurred to him that when Edd said he had his problems in his past that they were at all serious enough that other people were concerned. "Nazz," he slowly drew to his question, "you said that you don't know what happened to him?"

"Not really, but when I talked to Sarah last night she suggested that there might have been some trauma before he moved here. Apparently Ed had told her that something really bad had happened to Double D, but you know how her brother is. He couldn't remember exactly what."

Kevin stared into his now empty mug as he thought about what kind of trauma could have caused Edd's phobias. "So you're saying that the other two dorkos might know what happened to Edd?"

Nazz shrugged, taking a sip of her own coffee. "They're probably the only people who could tell you anything besides Double D himself. But Eddy doesn't like you so he won't say a word and anything you can get out of Ed could be skewed. If you want to know so much, then just ask him straight up since you guys are all of the sudden so close."

The thought of asking Edd what had caused his phobias was another thing that had never crossed Kevin's mind. He wondered if the other boy would be willing to give him any answers, but he figured he could get them out one way or another. Edd's crying face appeared in his head and he felt his body grow warm.

"Kevin!"

Nazz's voice made him jump; he had forgotten she was there. "If something is going on between you and Edd, just make sure to take care of him. We all love him, and you can be sure to hear from his best friends if he's hurt."

The girl had never expressed her feelings so bluntly for anyone and to hear that she and their friends treasured Edd was unexpected. But Kevin was learning that the boy was special to him too, so he promised Nazz that he would never hurt Edd.

Hours had passed before Kevin had found the nerve to go see Double D. With his newest discoveries, he didn't quite know how to approach the other but he wanted to see him again. Night had already fallen by the time he found himself standing on the front steps of Edd's house but he was frozen with uncertainty.

The door opened just as Kevin was preparing to go back home. The boy he had wanted to see stood in front of him in his pajamas with a tired look on his face. His skin was no longer red, but he had purple bags underneath of his eyes and his hat was sliding back on his head. The hickey that Kevin had placed on his slender neck was dark in sharp contrast to the pale flesh it marred. "Yes, Kevin?"

The redhead rubbed at the back of his neck. "I wanted to talk to you. I was hoping you wouldn't mind answering some questions for me."

"You're not going to hold me down and kiss me again, are you?" Edd queried.

"Uh, no. I'll try not to." Kevin tried to hide his awkwardness by raising a fist to cover his mouth and glancing at his feet.

"Bummer."

Kevin looked sharply up at Edd who was smirking back at him. "Very funny. Sarcasm suits you."

Edd's smirk softened, standing aside to let the red haired boy into his home. The door shut behind Kevin who proceeded to remove his shoes and replace them with the proffered slippers. Double D led him into the living room where he motioned for Kevin to sit down as he shut the blinds. Kevin sat down on the sofa and Edd sat across from him on a high-backed cushioned chair. The plastic on the furniture squeaked under their weight, but the noise was welcomed in the tense silence.

"So," Edd decided to break the silence, "what questions do you have for me?"

The best course of action was to get straight to the point, Kevin supposed. "I want to know what happened to you before you came to live here. You said you had your phobias as a little kid and I want to know why."

Kevin watched as Edd shrank into his seat. He worried for a moment that he wouldn't get an answer, that he would be turned away, but he watched the boy take a deep breath and begin to speak. "I," his voice cracked, "had a little sister."

"What?! When?" disbelief weighing Kevin's tone.

"Before I moved here, I had a little sister" Edd repeated.

The air grew thick and it became hard for both of the boys to breathe. "Well, what happened," Kevin tried to urge Edd to continue.

Double D inhaled shakily, the air coming from his lungs in shallow puffs. "She died," Edd pushed on but stopped to wipe at his eyes. "Her name was Jade and she was two years younger than me. She had leukemia and passed away at four years old."

Kevin pulled off his hat and ran his hand through his hair. It was only then did Kevin realize that in all of the years they had known each other, lived so close to each, spent around each other, he really didn't know anything about Edd. His eyes returned to the other boy who sat with his eyes on his hands. Double D's fists were clenched, his shoulders were drawn into his body tightly and his head was bowed. He was hiding something. "What aren't you telling me?" Kevin whispered.

Another shaky breath. "Jade died because of me. She was undergoing another round of chemotherapy and her immune system was weak. I was sick with a cold but she wanted to see me. She was so cute and I loved her so much so I begged and begged my parents to let me go to her. So they took me and I could see that she was having a hard time but I still insisted on being there with her. She died that night."

Edd broke down, hard sobs shaking his whole body as he gasped for air. Everything began to connect together in Kevin's head. Double D blamed himself for his sister's death. She was sick and Edd believed that his germs had killed her. He lost his most important person and believed entirely that it was his fault. That was why he was obsessively clean and afraid of getting close to people. Edd must have been afraid of causing the same thing to happen again and the damage formed his phobias.

"My family moved here to start anew," Edd continued to explain when he had calmed down enough. "I wouldn't get close to anyone but somehow Ed and Eddy found me. They pushed their way through and I started to forget. They grounded me and I'm so thankful for that. But with them gone, everything just came back and I've never been so scared."

Sobs broke out into the room again. Kevin watched Edd's body fold in half to bury his head in his lap. He didn't know what to say, but he knew that these tears were not the ones Kevin wanted the boy to shed. He stood and approached Edd slowly, but he didn't seem to notice. The taller boy lifted the smaller one, whose body tensed but otherwise didn't move.

Kevin carried him up the stairs and into the bathroom where he started the shower. He set Double D down and proceeded to strip him of everything but his boxers before doing the same to himself. Nearly naked, he pulled the other boy into the shower under the hot water with him.

"Wash me, and then let me hold you."


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hello readers! Sorry for the cliffie in the previous chapter. I really wanted to extend it but I also really wanted the next scene to stand alone as a single chapter, especially since I don't know how long it's going to be. I wanted to update sooner because I didn't like letting the cliffhanger just sit there but I'm visiting my parents at the moment so I'm having a tough time writing. Anyways, enjoy and review!

WARNING: This chapter gets citrusy. This is only my second attempt at writing smut so if it seems awkward, that's because I'm still getting used to it.

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Y-you want me to w-what?" Edd stuttered, eyes widening as he stared into the very serious face of Kevin Barr. The hot water ran in rivers from his red hair, down his neck, and across his chest, steam coming off of his tanned skin in clouds.

"I said," he spoke slowly, "I want you to wash me so that I can hold you. You won't let me touch you if you think I'm dirty, right?"

Edd gulped, helplessly rooted to the spot as Kevin placed a hand to the tile next to the black haired boy's head to support himself as he leaned forward. Edd glanced from the boy in front of him to the lye soap in the dish next to him, conflicted by his fear of touching Kevin and his desire to do the same.

"Are you that afraid of me and my germs?" Kevin's low voice rang in the small enclosed space of the shower.

"I'm not afraid of your germs. I'm afraid of mine. I don't want anything to happen to you," Edd hesitated, "because you came into contact with me."

Kevin smirked and Double D didn't know whether to feel worried or relieved. "Don't worry about that. If anything does happen, think of it as payback for all of my bullying."

Edd lifted his hands to push the boy away but stopped short of touching his skin. "But Gandhi said-" the small boy started but was interrupted by Kevin.

"An eye for an eye makes the world blind. Yeah, I know. But revenge is sweet and I'll say or do anything to get you to let me touch you," Kevin whispered as he dropped his head to Edd's neck, his lips an inch away from the hickey he had placed there the day before.

Even under the heat of the running water, Edd could differentiate between the warmth of the shower and that of Kevin's breath against his neck. It was then that he discovered two things: that there was no way he was going to be able to dissuade the redhead and that he really, really, wanted to be touched by this boy.

With trembling hands, Edd reached for the bar of soap with which he began to lather his hands. Every muscle in his body was shot with tension as he tried to gather the nerve to touch Kevin. His eyes followed the path his hands made as they inched toward the bare chest before him, his heartbeat sounding loudly in his ears. It seemed like an eternity had passed before his slender fingers met flesh.

Air was sucked sharply into Kevin's mouth between clenched teeth, the small digits alighting the skin they touched. His eyes closely watched Edd scrunch his brows as he bravely moved his hands across the planes of the chest they rested against. On the other side, Edd tried to ignore his growing anxiety by focusing on the movement of his hands and the slow buildup of suds beneath them. What had been cause for stress was becoming a challenge as he pushed himself to cover every inch of Kevin's skin with the thick lather. Edd became entranced with Kevin's nipples which pebbled under his touch and he marveled at the smooth hardness of the jock's body, pressing against the firm muscles and tracing the defined lines they had carved .

The small hands ran over every inch of skin on his shower partner's shoulders before moving onto his arms and then back. When Double D finished with that, he bent at the knees to wash from Kevin's legs downward. Then, in a moment of boldness, Edd hooked his fingers in the waistband of Kevin's boxers, looking up at the boy for approval. The dark, hooded look of Kevin's eyes made his skin crawl and both fear and excitement licked at him.

The redhead watched the boy below him drag his briefs down, the fabric clinging to his wet skin. When they had finally fallen to his feet, he stepped out and kicked the clothing piece away. Edd's own breath caught in his throat when he caught sight of Kevin's semi-erect member and his fingers itched to touch it but his embarrassment stopped him. Instead, he once again lathered his hands with the lye soap and focused on completing the task of washing the untouched skin.

Edd started at his hips, beginning in the front and then wrapping to his back before traveling down to the tops of his thighs. He then reached back around and lightly pressed his fingers into Kevin's buttocks where instantly the muscles clenched as his thumbs massaged the the rounded area. So focused was he on the task of cleansing Kevin's backside that he didn't notice the penis next to his head rise fully until he sat back on his haunches, satisfied with the state of the rest of the jock's toned body.

Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the erect member before him. It was the first time he had seen a penis besides his own and the differences were astounding. Kevin's penis was quite a bit longer and thicker than his own, but not overly large. His veins visibly throbbed, pressed tightly against the skin around the shaft and the head shined with wetness. Before he could stop himself, his hand had reached out to swipe at the bead of liquid that had come from the tip, the shaft jumping at his touch. However, the reflexive movement brought Edd back to his senses so he returned to his previous task of carefully cleaning Kevin. From above, he could hear the boy's breathing grow shallow and husky as Edd's fingers ran along the length repeatedly to evenly lather it before moving down to cup his balls. Kevin's breath hitched, then he moaned, and Double D felt himself harden, enjoying the sounds he was drawing from his once bully.

When he was happy with the amount of soap covering the jock's body, he moved on to scrub him with his loufa. He didn't want to injure Kevin, but habit forced him to rub at the skin until it was tender and red. By the time he was satisfied, every inch of Kevin's skin, save for his private area, was raw. All the while Kevin had remained silent, his green eyes never wavering from Edd.

When finished, the redhead turned from the other to rinse himself. He ignored the sting of the water on his flesh but didn't dare pull away in case Edd's anxiety returned. In the meantime, with Kevin's back turned, Edd quickly repeated the process on himself until he too was completely naked and scrubbed clean. When the other boy turned back around, he was surprised to find the black haired teen standing in the same state as himself.

Edd's cheeks flushed as he pushed past Kevin to rinse himself. He tried to let the water calm him down but found no peace when large, calloused hands wrapped around his hips. He wanted to jump away, but rational reasoning came to him, convincing him that there was nothing to be afraid of. Of course Kevin felt the smaller boy tense up beneath him but was relieved when he didn't pull away. Encouraged, he stepped into Edd, pressing the length of his body against the boys back. The slip of wet skin against skin made both of the boys quiver with anticipation. Edd felt Kevin's hard member resting heavily against the small of his back. Reflexively, Edd pushed into the body behind his, making Kevin bite back a groan as he thrust back.

Without an ounce of hesitation, Kevin dropped his lips to Edd's neck. Automatically, Double D pulled away but was trapped against the tile wall of the shower. "Kevin! Please! Do you know how much bacteria is in the human mouth?" Edd's broken voice pleaded.

Against his neck he felt the lips pull into a smile before placing another kiss. "I thought you said you weren't afraid of my germs."

"Y-yes, well-" Edd started but when he couldn't come back with a reasonable response he stopped himself.

Kevin lifted his lips to speak directly into Edd's ear. "If you don't want me to keep going, then stop me now, or else I won't be able to later."

Tears pooled in the wells of Double D's eyes, but he brushed them away. He rationalized that he had been living comfortably without his phobias for the last couple of years. He could find the strength to ignore them for the time being.

Taking Edd's non-response as confirmation to continue, Kevin placed his lips back on the pale skin of the nervous teen's neck. He lavished the area with open-mouthed kisses, thoroughly enjoying the feel of goosebumps underneath the pad of his tongue. But he couldn't get enough. He wanted to taste more of Edd's skin so he moved downward, kissing across the small boy's dainty back and over the soft, cushioned flesh of his butt. Kevin was drawn to the smooth skin there, taking his time licking and nibbling the area until he had his fill. Then, without warning, he spun Edd around so that the boy's member was before his own face.

Kevin's didn't wait for a reaction before taking the other teens cock in his hand. It hardened even more at his touch as Kevin stroked it up and down. Gasping breaths escaped from Edd's mouth, his legs shaking at the redhead's ministrations. When he thought that there was no possible way that he could take any more attention, Kevin's mouth wrapped around the tip of his cock.

"Kevin!" Edd shrieked, trying to push the boy's head away but the other teen was having none of that.

In retaliation, he wrapped one arm around Double D's legs to steady him and used his other arm to press against the shaking boy's abdomen. Satisfied, Kevin pushed more of Edd's length into his mouth, licking at the veins that ran along its underside. With that, the redhead was rewarded with a twitch of the cock in his mouth and his first taste of precum. The bitter, salty liquid didn't put him off as he had expected it would and instead found himself growing even hungrier for the boy. He pulled his head back, swirling his tongue around the head of Edd's cock before sinking back onto it. His teeth repeatedly scraped lightly against the soft skin of the shaft as Kevin bobbed back and forth on it, drawing strangled moans from its owner. He never thought he'd enjoy seeing another guy's cock, let alone enjoy having it in his mouth, but Kevin felt himself get harder at every sound he elicited and every hard throb of the penis against his tongue.

Edd's hand laced with Kevin's hair as he tried to hold back tears. Fear shook him but his body burned with delicious arousal and as much as he wanted to push Kevin away, he couldn't find the strength to do so. The hot mouth around his member was unrelenting, drawing Edd closer to the precipice of release. When Kevin felt the grip on his hair tighten, he pulled away. He wanted to see the cum shoot from Double D, but he also wanted to see how far he could push his boundaries.

Slowly, the tall boy made his way back up Edd's body, pressing kisses randomly across the boy's skin, only stopping to pay attention momentarily to his nipples. His tongue flicked out to taste one tiny nub before he wrapped his mouth around it and sucked hard. Edd moaned and his back arched, pushing more of his nipple into the redhead's mouth which Kevin greedily lapped at. After another minute, Kevin switched nipples, devouring the other one just as much as the first. Satisfied with Edd's shuddering body, he pulled away to admire the deep flush on the boy's cheeks, his fist balled against his mouth and his eyes watery.

Kevin's breath ran away from him.

Large hands wrapped around Edd's midsection, turning him and pressing him against the wall. The cool tiles stung his skin but he didn't notice as Kevin's lips swept across his ear. "Squeeze your legs together," he whispered into Double D's ear, the drop in his voice sending shivers up the small teen's spine.

Completely lost in his arousal, Edd did as he was told, the thought of questioning Kevin was beyond him. It was when he felt the press of the other boy's hard cock against the juncture between his thighs that fear began to gnaw at him again. But as the shaft slipped through his legs, rubbing against the base of his balls as they passed, the fear ebbed and he cried out in pleasure.

Kevin hissed at the feeling of Edd's wet skin tight around his cock, pausing to relish the feeling. Slowly, he pulled away only to sink back in between the quaking thighs, repeating the action over and over again. Edd lifted his hands to brace himself against the wall as Kevin's thrusts grew in tempo and force, the sounds of wet slapping skin growing louder in the enclosed space. The rub of Kevin's cock against the underside of his balls was driving him mad and he looked down to watch the tip of the redhead's penis repeatedly poke through his thighs. The sight alone turned him on even more and he tried to focus on the redhead's movements, but he quickly lost his concentration when Kevin's hand snaked around his midsection and grasped his cock.

Edd's body shook violently as he came, his seed splattering on the wall before him. Kevin, watching over Double D's shoulder growled and bit the boys ear, feeling his own orgasm coming on. A few erratic thrusts later and Kevin followed him, some of his his cum mixing with Edd's on the tiles and the rest dripping down the front of the boy's thighs. His head fell heavily against the teen's black hair as he struggled to regain his breath while Edd tried to come to terms with what had just transpired between them.

"Fuck," Kevin groaned, pressing a kiss to the black curls.

Unsure of how to act, mostly because he didn't know if he wanted to run, faint, or do it again, Edd settled with a nervous giggle. "Language, Mr. Barr."

Amused, Kevin ran his nose through Edd's hair and licked the shell of his ear. "Fffuuucckk" he repeated, slowly and deliberately drawing out every sound of the word. Edd shivered against him before pulling away, refusing to meet the other's eyes.

"W-we should get cleaned up, and then you should probably head home," Edd mumbled, finally coming to his limit. Kevin understood this and let Edd clean them again before they exited the shower. The redhead pulled on his clothes from earlier as the other boy pulled on his bathrobe and his beanie.

"Kevin?"

The boy glanced up at the call of his name. Edd stood awkwardly, his body drawn in again but it was clear that he really was trying to push himself closer to Kevin. "Yeah?" he replied.

Double D took in a staggering breath but gathered what remained of his courage to continue. "It's going to be tough, and I may push you away and struggle, but I would like to try something like this again. A-as long as you're comfortable with me."

Kevin smiled. "Yeah, dork. I'd like that."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hello wonderful readers! It was brought to my attention by a reviewer that I didn't mention what was "under-the-hat" for, probably, Double D. I intentionally avoided that because I felt that with Edd's character, while it was a big thing for him as a child, I figured he would have grown out of whatever reason he hid his head. I think he would continue to wear the beanie as a force of habit until someone he really cares for tells him that he looks fine without it (hint). This happens all of the time with children and preteens who are learning about themselves and discovering what they do and don't like about themselves but as maturity sets in so does a level of self-esteem that usually pushes past a lot of those childhood insecurities. For this story, Edd not caring about his head is important in exemplifying the severity of his phobias; there are worse things for him than removing his hat. Anyways, that's a bit of insight into "my Edd".

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

For Edd, coming to terms with what was beginning to transpire between him and the redhead was exhausting. He had spent nearly two hours talking with Eddy over the phone that previous Sunday since the other had also heard about him and Kevin over facebook. Eddy was furious and was convinced that Kevin was intimidating Edd in some way, but Double D desperately assured him that he wasn't. The beanie wearing boy conveniently forgot to mention that his phobias had returned and that Kevin had manipulated them to his advantage more than once but Edd wasn't upset about it so he saw no reason to bring it up. What came as the biggest shock to Edd was the fact that he wanted to get over his fears for Kevin of all people. Despite wanting to avoid all physical contact with the boy, Double D couldn't deny that being with Kevin made his heart race in a way that he enjoyed immensely.

Then, to make matters even more complicated, the redhead had called Edd Sunday night as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He asked for help with his homework, asked about his day, and even inquired as to whether or not the other boy wanted to walk to school with him the next day. To that last one Edd wasn't sure how to respond, but Kevin mentioned that with the news of the connection between the two of them spread around the school, Edd could become the target of unnecessary attention. Assuming Kevin was correct in his assumptions, if Edd stayed close to him then the other students would be more likely to keep their distance. So Double D agreed.

The Monday that followed had been the most nerve wracking Edd could remember as he waited patiently on the edge of his bed. In an effort to calm himself, he began to count prime numbers from zero until he couldn't think of any more with ease. However, it wasn't long before he heard the ring of his doorbell and all thought of prime numbers left him. Edd grabbed his backpack and tried his hardest not to run down the stairs to answer the front door since he didn't want Kevin thinking he was excited to see him. By the time he greeted the jock he felt like an eternity had passed.

"G'morning" Kevin yawned, rubbing at his eyes with one hand and a cup of coffee grasped precariously in the other.

Edd took a step back, suddenly uncomfortable with how close they were. "A good morning to you as well, Kevin. I am ready to go immediately if you are equally prepared."

The other boy took a few steps back to allow Double D the space to step out of the house, sweeping his hand before him to let him lead the way. Edd's hands shook as he locked the door behind him and his breathing labored when he turned to Kevin, but the redhead was a few yards away from him, waiting on the sidewalk.

As close as he dared, Edd stepped in line next to Kevin and they began the trek to school. The walk was silent but the smaller boy felt as if he was the only one that was bothered with it. Kevin kept one hand in his pocket and sipped his coffee from the other hand, a bored and tired look on his face. Edd felt that maybe he was the only one making this more complicated than it needed to be.

"So, I've been thinking about something," Kevin mumbled.

Edd looked at him, wondering what he wanted to talk about. Several things ran through his mind at once: maybe Kevin was disgusted by him, maybe he wanted to break ties with him, maybe he wanted to torment him and become his bully again. "Yes, Kevin?"

"People are going to be saying a lot of stuff about us, and you already have a lot to deal with. You'll be stressed if anyone asks you what's going on so you can tell them one of two things." Kevin paused to consider his words as Edd did the same. "You can tell them that we're really close friends or that we're together."

"W-what?" of all of the things Kevin could have said, there was absolutely no way he could have anticipated those words.

The redhead snatched off his baseball cap to scratch at his head. "Well, I'm popular and pretty intimidating and personally I don't give a rat's ass about anything anyone has to say about me. But you're an easy target. I figured if people think we're close, they'll leave you alone for the most part."

Edd's eyes fell to the concrete as Kevin's words took hold. Of course, the other was right but Edd didn't understand if they were pulling a farce over the rest of the students, or if claiming that there was something more between them made it true. Firstly, Double D wasn't entirely sure of how he felt about Kevin and he didn't want other people to come to odd conclusions. He harbored no ill feelings towards Kevin, but he wouldn't call the boy his friend so easily. And the term traumatic-stress-helper/experimental-sex-partner was not one he could appropriately throw around. Also, as much as Kevin said that he couldn't be bothered by anything anyone said, Edd still didn't want to be the cause of any poor gossip the teen received. Then there was also the fact that Eddy could be coming home at any time, shortly followed by Ed at the end of the month, and he couldn't proudly face them if he couldn't be honest about whatever relationship he shared with Kevin.

Mind made up, Edd addressed Kevin. "I think it would be in our best interests to simply say that we are close friends. There is no need as to be so extreme in telling others that we are together. At least we will be closer to the truth and we can avoid being caught in some absurd lie." Double D flashed his toothy smile but was surprised to see a pained look on Kevin's face. "Is something wrong?"

The expression left the teen's face and for a brief moment Edd wondered if he had even seen it. "Nah, I'm cool man. Let's get going before we're late." Kevin assured him before picking up his pace, leaving Edd to jog after him.

The moment they walked into the school it seemed as if all sets of eyes had turned on them. There was no doubt in Edd's mind that every student whispering behind their hands and pointing across the hall were all talking about him. His body froze as fear overcame him, the palms of his hands sweating profusely as he tried to remember how to breathe. Suddenly it felt as if the ceiling was dropping and the walls were closing in on his sides at the same time that everyone began to spin around him. He knew he was going to faint until a hand appeared in his vision, fingers snapping and drawing him out of his delirium.

Kevin saw Edd begin to lose himself immediately. Tears had begun to well in his dark eyes and for a second the jock considered letting him cry simply for the pleasure of seeing his face, but jealousy won out and forced Kevin to stop those tears before anyone else had the chance to see them. He had snapped loudly in Edd's face, knowing the boy probably would have fainted if he had touched him otherwise. "Dude, you're fine. Keep moving and eventually everyone will forget about us."

Double D's skin was pale and he was shaking, but he nodded in the affirmative and followed Kevin to their adjoined lockers. Every time he felt as if someone was talking about him, pointing at him, or closing in on him, he would focus on something on Kevin's person like the black bill of his hat, or a stray mole on the back of his neck. Anything that could ground him in the moment.

It was with agonizing stress that they collected their things from their lockers and parted for first period. Kevin walked Edd to his first classroom, telling him not to stall between classes and that they'd see each other come second period. What were meant to be words of comfort only caused more strain to Edd's fragile grasp on his cool, so he tried to calm himself with the thought that because all of his classes were advanced placement, the number of people likely to bother him were few.

For the first time since both of the other Eds had left, Double D couldn't concentrate on his lessons due to his high level of anxiety. He sat on the edge of his chair, trying to focus on the lecture while closely watching the clock. Each second passed by in what felt like ten and the tick of the clock's hands boomed and rattled against the walls of his skull. The bell couldn't come fast enough and when it did he bolted from the classroom.

Edd moved as swiftly and carefully though the crowd of students as he could, avoiding all body contact until the door of his math class was in sight. A wave of relief washed over him, quickly receding when a firm object collided with his side, slamming him through the doors of the boy's restroom. With a hard thud, he landed on the cold tile floor of the facilities, his bare hands splayed out beneath him. He looked up, fearing that someone had pushed him in there for a purpose, but he found no one. It was just an accident.

However, Edd faced a new problem. The boy's restrooms were normally a cesspool of bacteria. It was still early in the day so they were relatively clean compared to their usual state at the end of the day, but the thought of sitting on the ground, his hands touching the tiles that he knew were swimming with germs drove Edd over the edge. His breath escaped him and he vomited, the bile coating his front, making his stomach clench and throat constrict. A stall opened behind him and a boy stepped out, jumping at the sight of Edd making his way to unconsciousness on the floor.

"Hey, are you okay" the boy bent at the knees, putting his hand on Double D's shoulder. The reaction was swift; Edd's eyes rolled and he passed out on the ground.

The boy jumped up, ignoring the bell signaling class and running to find the closest campus monitor. When he found one, they returned to the bathroom where the larger man lifted Edd and carried him to the nurse's office where they sent the helping boy to class and called up Edd's parents.

If Edd had been awake, he would have been surprised that both of his parents, who had neglected him since they had moved to Peach Creek, had rushed to the school to collect him. His mother sat in the backseat of the car, cradling him in her arms as his dad drove home. He also would have been surprised to know that his father tenderly washed his body while his mother cleaned his clothes and school supplies. He might have even cried if he had known that they had both laid down with their son in his bed for some time before they returned to work.

But Edd didn't know any of that. All he knew was that he somehow made it home and that he was alone.

And Kevin sat in calculus, staring at Edd's empty seat wondering where his dork was.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Hello wonderful readers! It has been a while since I last updated and I am so sorry about that, but life happened. This is a short chapter, just to help me get back into the story. The next one will be better. Anyways, I know I have a lot of minor writing mistakes for which I apologize. I'm slightly dislexic and I can revise chapters ten times and still miss mistakes because my brain simply doesn't see them. So I really thank you all for your patience and for continuing to read my story despite its problems.

Please review!

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Kevin couldn't remember a time he'd ever run as fast as he did that day after school. When Edd failed to make it to calculus Kevin had assumed the worst. During lunchtime he'd approached the football team but they claimed to have not seen him all day. Kevin didn't want to believe them, but he knew that besides his co-captian, they were mostly good guys so he let it go. Nazz, who was equally worried about Edd, tried calling the boy but was sent straight to his voicemail. When the school day ended Nazz tried to offer him a ride to Edd's house, but the redhead was already sprinting away from the building.

It was a wonder that Kevin made it to the cul-de-sac before Nazz. He was breathing hard when he pounded on Double Dee's door, straining to listen for movement inside the house; the growl of Nazz's beater pulling into the driveway unfortanely drowned out all sounds. Kevin lifted his fist to knock again but the door opened and there stood Edd, eyes bruised and lips bleeding.

Rage consumed Kevin and he slammed his backpack on the ground, making both Nazz and Edd jump. The girl rushed forward to calm him down, but he shook her off and rounded on Double D. "Who hurt you? I'll make sure he never touches you again." Kevin barked.

Edd had his hands raised between the two of them in an effort to keep Kevin at bay. "N-no one hurt me."

Nazz appeared in the doorway, a hand now on the redhead's shoulder. "Then what happened to your face?" She asked, pointing at his eyes.

The blush that spread across Edd's cheeks quieted Kevin's anger, but only a little. Double D awkwardly rubbed at his elbow as he offered Nazz a guilty smile. "It's actually all my fault. I had an incident in the bathroom and I fainted. It would seem my parents brought me home and, um, when I woke up I had a bit of a breakdown. I was rubbing at my eyes a lot and I have a nervous habit of chewing my lips," he explained to the other two. When they failed to respond, Edd cleared his throat to alleviate the stress of the silence.

Nazz was the first to speak. She reached forward, but when the smaller boy shied away from her touch she pulled back, instead giving him a soft smile. "As long as you're alright, hun. We were really worried about you, dude." She glanced at Kevin, who was staring holes into Edd. "I'm gonna head home, but call me if you need anything. Kevin, you behave yourself."

Nazz's car loudly pulled away, but the redhead hadn't noticed. His attention was glued on the smaller boy who was fidgeting under his gaze. Edd cleared his throat before meeting Kevin's eyes. "Would you like to come in, Kevin?"

The jock nodded, toeing off his shoes at the entrance and slipping into the proffered slippers. The pressing silence made Edd's skin crawl. He'd expected some sort of outburst, to be scolded, or maybe even a little bit of concern, but Kevin's lack of reaction was unsettling.

"I'm really sorry. I realize that I should have texted you as soon as I woke up to let you know that I was alright." Edd tried to explain, hoping that the redhead's gaze would soften.

"Yeah, you should've. It would've been nice to know that you had an accident before I ran around the school trying to find you." Kevin's voice was icy and Edd cringed.

"You're angry." Edd stated more to himself, but Kevin heard and answered.

"What gave it away?"

Double D wrung his hands, refusing to make eye contact. "I understand that I should have been more careful." Edd voice was shaking. "I'll be more wary of my surroundings next time."

Kevin's back slumped against the wall. "That's not why I'm mad, Edd."

Edd sighed, but the other boy was still staring intently at him. It was then that he realized that the boy's eyes were on his battered lips. "If anyone else did that to your face, I could just beat 'em up. But you did that to yourself. So what am I s'posed to do?"

Edd watched Kevin slide to the floor, his legs spread wide in front of him. "I can't punish, but you need to learn to not hurt yourself."

The smaller boy took a tentative step back, but stopped when the redhead glared at him. "I, um, understand what you mean. I will take better care of myself, Kevin."

Double D's promise didn't appease the jock. "No, that's not enough. I need to make sure this never happens again." Kevin patted the spot between his legs. For one, Edd didn't want to sit on the ground, and two he didn't know if he wanted to get any closer to the other boy, but the icy stare he was receiving told him that he had no choice.

Slowly, Edd lowered himself into the space between Kevin's spread legs, staring at him expectantly. "Turn around," Kevin ordered, so Edd did as he was told.

Although they weren't touching, Double D could feel the other's body heat against his back. It felt like he was boxed in like a caged animal and his whole body shook with fear.

"You know, if you'd been good this would've turned out differently." the jock murmured, his breath ghosting over Edd's neck. "I would've come to you, told you sweet things to make you feel better, anything to make you forget what happened at school."

Edd shivered. He watched from his peripherals as Kevin's hands ran down his faded jeans, imagining that they were on his own legs. "I might've taken you back into the shower and washed your body myself, because I don't like thinking about who might've touched you today to make you faint." The redhead grumbled, his hands fisting in his jeans. "Would you have wanted me to join you in the shower and clean you?"

"I-I don't know," Edd stuttered.

"Of course you know." Kevin growled. It seemed as if his lips were right at Edd's ear. The smaller boy made to turn around, but the redhead was having none of it. "Look forward, don't look at me unless you want me to lose what little control I have right now. Got it?"

Double D's eyes squeezed shut. "Yes" he whispered.

"Good. Now tell me the truth."

Edd struggled to remember what Kevin had asked. "I would have wanted you with me in the shower." He admitted.

"Yeah, I thought so," Kevin purred. "Man, I really wish you'd have been good. I'd have you in there right now, pressed against the wall and squirming. I probably wouldn't be able to control myself, and I'd have your dick in my hands. Does that sound good?"

Edd fought the nervous lump in his throat. "Yes. That does sound good."

"Fuckin' right it does. Just thinking about it's making me hard." Kevin growled. "If I had you in that shower right now, exactly where I wanted you, I'd rub my dick against yours. I'd make you put your hand around both of us, and you'd jerk us both at the same time."

Despite Kevin's dirty talk, Edd found his pants tightening around his crotch. He should've been disgusted, but as the redhead described what he wanted to do to him his imagination buzzed with the fantasies put there. He wanted to touch Kevin, and he wanted to be touched in return.

"Kevin, please," he begged, not really knowing what he was asking for.

"Yeah, you'd say that too. You'd call my name as you got close, and I'd sneak my hand around your ass, dipping in your crack to touch your hole." Edd shivered, not sure what to think of that but still intrigued. "I wouldn't put my finger in, but I'd rub you there so you'd know exactly where I want you. And I'm gonna have you there, eventually, but not until you beg me for it."

Kevin's voice dropped to a whisper. "You don't know it yet, but one day, when you're used to my touch, you're going to beg for me to take you, and I will. I'm going to fuck you until all you know is my body, until you crave it every moment of the day, but not today. No, today we're talking about what would've happened if you'd been a good boy."

Tears pricked at Edd's eyes. His body was screaming to be touched. However fear held him back, but only slightly.

"Turn around, Edd." Kevin ordered. The smaller boy obeyed, slowly meeting green eyes. "What do you want?"

A sob escaped Double D. "Please touch me."

The redhead's face was solemn. "No. You hurt yourself. You don't get rewarded for that." He stood up and looked down at Edd. "Treat yourself better, and next time I'll give you anything you want. But you need to learn that you're so-called nervous habits aren't healthy."

Tears flowed freely from Edd's eyes, but he nodded in agreement. Kevin's methods were unconventional, but effective nonetheless. The raven haired boy understood the importance of taking care of himself, and he also understood that Kevin cared about him more than he let on. He found that he wanted to please this boy, and he found that he desired him in a way that was frightening in the face of his phobias. He also found that he hated his fears more than anything when it came to the boy standing in front of him.

Kevin made his way to Edd's bathroom where he found petroleum jelly and disposable ice packs in the medicine cabinet. Double D watched him snap on a pair of gloves and allowed Kevin to apply the jelly to his lips. He shut his eyes, relaxing as the ice packs were pressed against the swollen flesh, and the redhead held them there. They didn't say another word to each other until Kevin left, at which time he'd handed Edd his missed work from class. When Edd shut the door, he promised himself that he would change. For the sake of his sanity, he would change, because surely Kevin would drive him crazy if he didn't.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Hello wonderful readers! I'm so happy to still have support, especially after taking such a long hiatus. I know I promised weekly updates, but for the next 2-3 weeks I will be on vacation so I don't know how much time I can dedicate to writing. I will try to update at least once during that time, if I can't keep up with my updates, so please don't hate me. On a completely unrelated side note, I'm obsessed with the song Now or Never by Halsey.

Read and review!

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

Eddward believe that inner strength was best found when it was gathered not for one's self, but for those that they loved. He'd found his strength for the first time when Ed had severely cut his foot in the second grade. Eddy and Ed had dragged him to the creek to play the role of lifeguard as the two waded in the water. Up until then they had only urged Edd to follow them around, but they had never forced him to participate in their games or do anything he was uncomfortable with. He was grateful, but felt like a nuisance. When Ed slipped on a sharp rock that sliced his foot open, Double D was surprised by his own quick action. He'd ripped his shirt, wrapped it around the taller Ed's injury, and assisted Eddy with supporting the limping boy home.

After that day, his reluctance to play with the other boys waned until he'd overcome his phobias enough to funtion normally. He'd realized that the only thing worse than germs and being touched was losing someone because he'd let his fears push them away.

Kevin wasn't like his best friends. Kevin was calmly assertive, intelligent, a leader, and Edd was attracted to him. He couldn't help himself when it became apparent that the redhead wanted him in every which way that a man could be had by another man. Of course he'd desperately tried to ignore his advances, tried to push him away, but not only was he letting himself and Kevin down, but also the Ed's who'd worked so hard to get Double D to open up.

Edd wanted to be with Kevin, but he knew that he'd have to change if he wanted something lasting. The problem was that he didn't know what Kevin ultimately wanted with him. He didn't know if he should the effort in changing himself if the redhead didn't want anything serious to come from their interactions.

With trembling fingers, he pressed the call button on his cell screen. When Kevin's husky voice answered, Edd's heart caught in his throat.

"Hello?" Kevin yawned. It was only then that Double D realized that it was close to midnight.

"I-I'm so s-sorry", he stuttered. "I didn't realize it was so late. I'll let you go back to sleep."

"Forget about it. You wouldn't have called unless it was important."

Edd gulped. He suddenly wished that he hadn't called. "I apologize, Kevin. I've just been thinking a lot since you left and I felt it necessary to have you clarify a few things for me, if you wouldn't mind."

There was a rustling from the other end of the line; no doubt the jock was situating himself into some sort of position in his bed. "Okay. What'd you wanna ask me about?"

"Well," Edd started, faltering briefly but pressing on, "I was wondering what you wanted from me."

The line was silent and Double D thought that maybe the other boy had hung up, but after a moment Kevin sighed loudly into the receiver. "What do you think I want from you?" He asked earnestly.

Edd huffed. "It's unfair for you to answer a question with a question of your own."

"Arg," Kevin groaned, obviously frustrated. "I'm asking because I want to be sure you're not misunderstanding anything. Knowing you, you over-analyzed every little thing about our relationship and drove yourself up the wall with your own assumptions."

The small teen wondered how Kevin came to such an accurate conclusion. Surely it was impossible for the redhead to know so much about him after two weeks of close interaction. But he'd said something that stalled Edd. "Our relationship?"

"What?" The jock's tone hinted confusion.

"You said I was over-analyzing our relationship. What relationship would that be?" Eddward pressed. For very clear reasons he wouldn't have called the pair of them acquaintances, but he would have hardly called them friends either. If anything, Edd felt like a cornered animal staring at a predator when he was around Kevin.

The boy on the other side let out another long breath. "What relationship we have depends on you. I won't lie, I'm pretty sure I want you as a boyfriend, but that's probably out of the question for you. You probably see me as some sort of rehabilitation partner."

If Edd wasn't mistaken, he'd heard a tone of bitterness in Kevin's voice in that last bit. He wanted to trust that Kevin was telling him the truth, but their past gave him a reason to pause. But he knew from experience that the best way to move forward in anything is to forget the past and focus on what was happening now. The now told him that Kevin was protective, sturdy, and ready to support him, albeit a little unconventionally.

Edd swallowed past the lump in his throat. He mustered up what courage he had; he wasn't used to using it. "I want to be with you." Edd whispered fearfully, shakily.

Kevin's light laugh erupted through the receiver. "That's a relief. I was worried I'd get thrown away the moment we got you over your phobias.

A small smirk pulled at Double D's lips. "Well, you're not in the clear yet. I might just want you for your body." He tried to tease.

Kevin's voice dropped an octave. "In that case, you can have my body any way you want."

Edd blushed, realizing his mistake. He buried his face into his pillow, phone still pressed to his ear as Kevin continued. "You wanna tell me how you want my body? Or am I gonna have to use my imagination?"

The black haired teen groaned, a sound that made Kevin's body grow hot and hard. "Do I really have to?" Eddward squeaked.

"You don't have to do anything. But I figure that since you woke me up so late on a school night, you could tell me a bedtime story to help me get back to sleep."

"Kevin…" Edd muttered.

"Or," The redhead interrupted, "I could tell you a bedtime story."

Double D's breathing grew labored. He didn't know if he would last if Kevin's "bedtime story" was going to be anything like the imaginings he'd describe that afternoon.

"I'm just kidding." Kevin said softly. It was almost as if Edd could hear the smile on the other boy's face. He couldn't help but feel comforted.

"I'm going to let you go back to sleep." Edd sighed. He really wanted to keep talking, but he needed to get some sleep before school the next day. "But I was wondering if we could hold hands to school tomorrow."

Kevin's breath caught. "Are you ready for that?"

Edd smiled, nodding even though the redhead couldn't see. "I'm trying to move forward. I really want to do it with you."

* * *

Kevin stared at the smaller teen who was standing on the the front doorstep of his house. He was fidgeting and the latex of his gloves squeaked as he wrung his hands.

"Uh, good morning." Kevin scratched at the back of his head, eyeing the purple gloves.

"Greetings. If you are ready to go, then so I am." Edd tried to put on a brave face, but his lips trembled.

Kevin sighed, adjusting the one strap of his backpack that was slung over his shoulder. "We don't have to do this. There's always going to be another day."

Edd squared his shoulders. "Nonsense, Kevin. If life has taught me anything, it's that there might not always be another day. I'm ready to do this today. You'll just have to excuse the gloves. Maybe next week I'll feel comfortable enough to take them off."

The jock scrutinized the other boy, glancing from his still shaking hands to the determination set in his eyes. He shrugged and offered Edd a kind smile. "Alright then, let's go."

As happy as Kevin was to be holding Double D's hand, he wasn't too thrilled with the deadly grip around his fingers. The latex made it awkward enough, but it seemed the smaller teen thought that the tighter he gripped the less he would shake. It was either that or he was afraid he'd lose his nerve and release Kevin's hand.

On the other side, Edd was waging war with himself in his head. Half of him wanted to throw-up, faint, or just go hide in some hole to never come out. The other half refused to let go of Kevin's hand. For that side of him, it was a matter of life and death. If he couldn't hold hands with the person he liked then there was no point in living.

When the school came into view Edd's shaking intensified. For once he hadn't thought this through. He'd failed to remember that holding hands to school meant being seen by their classmates. This was going to ruin Kevin's reputation, and they would both be teased, if not bullied, relentlessly.

A small squeeze around his fingers pulled Edd from his thoughts. The jock's eyes were set forward, his back straight, and he was walking proudly, pulling Double D with him. There wasn't a hint of shame in his countenance; he greeted fellow students, weaved through crowds, and not once did his hand loosen.

Edd couldn't let Kevin brave this alone. He knew the taller teen was staying strong to keep him calm, but if Edd was committing to this relationship then he had to stand beside his boyfriend, not hiding behind. This was the start of his change.

Taking a deep breath, Edd reached for his head with his free hand and pulled off his beanie. He didn't have a problem with his hair, it was just a force of habit that he wore the hat now. But still, his hand shook a little as he stuffed the article into his messenger bag. He was very aware of Kevin's eyes on him and when he looked at the other boy, he was gifted with a proud smile. Frankly, he was proud of himself too.

"Oh my gosh!" Nazz squealed when she caught sight of them in the halls. They'd been hearing a lot of that. At first they thought people were buzzing because of the boys' obvious declaration of their relationship status, but when they listened closely they'd realized that the students were actually talking about Edd. Apparently the female portion of the student body found him adorable. When Double D flashed his shy, gap-toothed smile at that discovery half of the male students had to agree; he was pretty darn cute.

"Look at you! You're curls are awesome dude! You look super cute." Nazz giggled when she rushed to the pair. She briefly eyed their hands, but she only flashed them a knowing look before she continued to fuss over Edd. "The girls are going to be falling over each other for you. Forget Kevin's threats."

"The girls and then some." Kevin grumbled under his breath, pouting angrily and refusing to look at them. His hand tightened possessively around Edd's, pulling him an inch closer.

"Oh, jealous much?" Nazz teased. She laughed when Kevin growled and pushed at his shoulder for good measure. "At least you two are out. I won't have to worry about you two so much now."

"You were worried?" Edd asked.

Nazz nodded her blonde head. "Of course. But Kev'll take care of you now."

Both boys blushed, although the redhead was more keen to hide it. Their friend bid them goodbye and they too prepared to go their separate ways. Before he could go, Kevin pulled Edd until there was barely any space between them. His mouth dropped to the smaller teens ear. "Make sure we leave together today."

Edd's gloved hand released Kevin's. "I will."


End file.
